Is there a downside to short-term health insurance?

If short-term health insurance was perfect, everyone would buy it, right? Here are a few things you need to know:

Short-term health insurance is not ACA-compliant. You won’t get out of the fine for not participating in Obamacare.

Pre-existing conditions are not covered.

Some people won’t be able to get a short-term coverage. There are certain pre-existing conditions (like diabetes) that would make it impossible to get coverage.

Preventive care is not covered.

Maternity coverage is not included.

If short-term health insurance is not an option for you, what can do (other than getting a job with benefits)?

Even Cheaper Alternatives to Obamacare

These suggestions will help people who can’t get a short-term health insurance plan or are looking for an even cheaper option. They are also very effective policies to have alongside a short-term plan:

Telemedicine. Whether you have insurance or not, you can get a consultation with a doctor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via phone or video conference. All without a copay.

Accident insurance. These plans pay a lump sum if you have to receive treatment resulting from an accident. If you have insurance, this could help you meet your deductible, and if you don’t have insurance this might be even more valuable!

A Gap Plan. These plans are designed to help people meet their out-of-pocket costs in an Obamacare health insurance policy. But they can do the same thing for a short-term policy. If you don’t have health insurance, you’ll find these to be far better than nothing!